Cowboy and Secrets
by Country
Summary: A cowboy comes into town, impacting many lives and carrying many secrets. UPDATED!!
1. The Encounter

The water off the pier beckoned me to stop. I tried to resist its pull to stop but couldn't. I stood there staring out into the vast darkness of the water. I almost wished that my problems could be swallowed by that darkness and be carried away. I sighed, knowing that such dreams were hopeless. 

I shook my head at my silliness and started my trek toward the warehouse once again. My heart sped up at the sound of footsteps behind me. I snuck a look behind me but saw nothing. _You're just being paranoid_, I told myself, and yet, my steps quickened. Hearing the footsteps behind me speed up, I ducked into a dark corner and pulled out my switchblade. As the steps came closer, I pushed the button and felt the knife jump in my hand as the blade became exposed. I took a deep breath as the person following me almost passed my hiding spot.

My fingers covered a mouth, hauling my stalker into position in front of me. The person was about my height, and soft hair brushed against my cheek. My other hand held the blade against the neck of my stalker. "When I lift my hand from your mouth, you're not gonna scream." I let a slight pressure of my knife blade speak for me. "Right?" I whispered harshly into the woman's ear.

When I felt the slight nod of her head, I uncovered her mouth. "Now, who the hell are you and why are you following me?"

I felt a shiver pass through the body in front of me. When no answer seemed to be forth coming, I gave it a slight shake. "Well?"

The slight movement of my knife blade told me she'd just swallowed. "My. . .my name is Courtney."

"Well, that's a start." My grip slackened slightly. "Now, why were you following me?" 

"I. . .I. . .wasn't. I came out here to visit my brother's warehouse. To see where he worked."

Snort. "Yeah, right."

"It's true," she insisted.

"Of course it is," I state sarcastically. "You come out to the pier in the middle of the night to check out a _closed_ warehouse your brother _supposedly_ owns. C'mon, Courtney, you gotta do better than that." I pushed my knife against her throat one again. "Now, really isn't the time to be lying, ya know what I mean?"

I felt her heave a heavy sigh. "Fine. I was supposed to meet someone out here and when I heard your footsteps, I thought you were him." 

"That's not much better n the last one. Only an idiot would ask a girl to meet 'em at this time of night in this neighborhood. It ain't safe."

"Well, considering my current situation, I'd have to agree," she shot back.

I chuckled but tightened my hold. "Now, why are you following me? Did Del hire you?"

"NO!" she shouted in frustration. "Who's Del? and how many times do I have to tell you? I WASN'T FOLLOWING YOU! _God_, you're almost as bad as my brother." 

I chuckled at her frustration. The sincerity in her voice forced me to let her go. "Now, if you'da tol' me that before, we wouldn't have had to prolong all that," I stated, stepping away from her and retracting my knife.

She swung around. Fire spit from her blue eyes. "Who do you think you are?! Grabbing people like that and holding them at knife-point! That's illegal!"

I shrugged, tucking my knife into my jeans pocket. "So sue me."

"Argh! What is it with men like you and my brother? You think you can do anything you want and get away with it. Well, I'm here to tell you that I've had enough of being pushed around and being told what to do."

She started to walk off. Curiousity gnawed at me. I knew I shouldn't, but I found myself saying, "I take it we ain't talkin' about me no more." 

Stopped her in her tracks, and surprised the hell out of me. 

She swung around, sending her blonde hair swinging. "No.Yes." She gave me an exasperated look. "Men like you and my brother."

I leaned a shoulder against the nearest wall, tucked my hands in my pocket, and crossed my booted feet. "That's like the fifth time you've mentioned this brother of yours. Who is he?"

She plopped down in a nearby bench and stared down at her hands. "Sonny Corinthos." The dread and authority expressed in those two quietly spoken words told me she expected me to have an adverse reaction to it. Apparently, I was supposed to recognize it. As I walked over and sat down next to her, I couldn't remember a single person I'd met in my life named Sonny Corinthos. She peaked up at me from beneath her layer of hair.

I stretched my arm out on the back of the bench. "So?" 

Her head came straight up. "You don't know him?"

I thought about it again, bringing a finger to tip my hat back a bit. "Nope. Can't says that I do."

Shock covered her face. "You must be the only person in town."

I shrugged. "Well, I'm new." 

She gave me a rueful grin as she took in my attire for the first time. Her gaze took in the beat-up black Stetson hat on my head, the tan denim jacket that covered a light blue denim shirt, the dark blue jeans, and the scuffed cowboy boots. "I should've known from the get-up."

I smiled, and a silence settled between us as I waited for more details. When none came, I knew I had to ask it. "So who is he?"

"He's. . .he's. . ." I looked at her expectantly. _How hard could it be to describe your brother?_ I wondered, tapping my finger against the wood of the bench. The song of the Jeopardy song came into my head. Doo-dee-dum dum-dum doo-dee-dum. Finally, she said, rather lamely I thought, "He's in the coffee business, and the longer you stay in town, the more you'll hear about him. Just so you know, most of its true."

"Thanks for the heads up, but I think I'll make that decision." I stared out at the darkness once again. Decisions were the thing that had brought me here. Five years of decisions and planning. Now, I'm here. No job. Almost out of money. No answers to the questions that had brought me here. _If things don't start to shape up, I'll just have to go home_. At the thought, disappointment and guilt washed over me. I'd come out here as part of a responsibility and failure ate at my soul. _I will not. . .I CAN NOT fail. Things have to turn around sometime_, I told myself sternly. Trying to distract myself from my thoughts, I focused on what Courtney has asked me. "So where are you from, cowboy?"

"Around," I answered vaguely, knowing a more precise answer could get her or me into trouble. "So what's this brother of yours doin' to bug you so much?"

She rolled her eyes. "You're just like Sonny. A vague answer and a question to distract me." A smile crossed her face. "Only he tries to feed me."

"Food's important," I pointed out with a grin.

She got up with a sigh and began to pace. "Yeah, then he tries to tell me what to think, how to feel, who to be friends with, who to trust, where to go. . ."

The frustration in her voice at what she obviously saw as controlling behavior really got to me. It seemed only right that I jump to this guy's defense. A small voice in my head wondered, _Why do you have to go and butt into this? _

"Yeah. Well, he's just doin' what brothers do." She looked at me with a frown. I could tell she was about to argue with me. "Hear me out before you go postal." I leaned forward, placing my elbows on my thighs and dangling my crossed hands between my knees. "He loves you. You're family and that means you're his responsibility. He's just tryin' to look out for you." I held a hand up when I saw her mouth open. "He may not do it in the way you want him to or say the things you want him to, but he's just tryin' to look out for you as any brother would." I smiled. "It's a man's duty as a brother to look out for any siblings he has." Feeling someone else presence, I shot a look behind her, seeing a shadow duck behind a wall. I got up from the bench and walked toward her. "Now, with that insight into the male psyche, I gotta go to a meeting." I stuck out a hand, and she shook it. "It was nice to meet you, Courtney, and I'm sorry about earlier." Shooting a look toward the shadow's hiding place, I whispered, "I believe your friend's here." 

She swung around, a look of delight on her face as her friend stepped out of his hiding place. "A.J.! You have to meet. . ." But by then, I'd already left.


	2. The Confrontation

Sonny and Zander left the coffee warehouse late that night. "Any word from Jax?" Sonny asked. 

Zander shook his head. "No, not yet."

Sonny nodded, thinking about what pieces of information could be passed on to his arch nemesis to keep Candy Boy off his back. "Well, let me kn. . ."

Spanish floated to ears, shocking him into silence. Sonny loved to speak Spanish, but around here, opportunities were few and far between. In his life, it seemed he had to fly to Puerto Rico to have a decent conversation. 

He noticed the concerned look Zander cast his way. "Sonny, you okay?" Sonny put a finger to his lips, motioning Zander to be quiet. Driven by curiosity, he followed the bits and pieces of the conversation, trying to pinpoint where the source of the voices. 

". . .can't put. . .on there," one said , a hint of frustration in its somewhat young sounding voice. 

"Why not? " The other queried, persistence in his voice.

". . .doesn't fit with. . .rest. . .," the person Sonny had tagged as Kid declared.

"But. . ." 

Sonny inched his way along the alley wall with Zander following close behind him. The voices came from the back of his warehouse. He glanced back at Johnny and Max, motioning for them to go around the other way. They nodded and disappeared into the night. 

"What's going on?" Zander whispered, anxiety coloring the concern in his voice. 

Sonny shook his head, trying to keep their approach as stealthily as he could. With every piece of conversation he heard, concern built within him. Questions and suspicions swirled in his head. _What are they doing at his warehouse? Did they break in? No. . .from the sound of it, they're hauling something. Who hired them? Roscoe. . .He's been dealt with. Sorel's dead. Who does that leave? A.J. . .He's too concerned about using Courtney. . .That leaves Jax._

As they made progress to the source, the conversations became much clearer. He paused when heard Kid ask, "What does this say?"

Another voice replied in halting English, "Cor. . .in. . .thos."

"Good. This?"

"M. . .or. . .gan."

". . .know. . .this?"

"Coffee," the third man answered without hesitation.

A laugh cut through the night. "Great! We're making progress."

He peaked around the corner, taking in the scene in front of him. _Let's see. There are one. . .two. . .three. . . f. . .what a minute. . .is that what I think it is? Sonny blinked to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. Nope, it was indeed true. A cowboy was here. In New York. In Port Charles. At his warehouse._ He shook his head. _Where in the world did Jax hire a cowboy from? That's takes "outside help" to a new level._

"Are they robbing the place?" Zander whispered urgently.

Shaking his head, Sonny ducked back behind the corner. "I better see what's going on," he whispered back. "You stay here," he ordered, giving Zander a meaningful look. The impulsive kid had gotten into more trouble than he could count. He waited until the kid nodded his agreement before making his move. He took a deep breath and stepped out of his hiding place. The words he had prepared stuck in his throat when he noticed that everyone had disappeared but the cowboy leaning against the edge of an empty coffee crate with his arms crossed. "What's going on here?" he demanded, looking around a bit, hoping to catch sight of the others. 

Despite the shadow from the cowboy hat, Sonny could make out the young features and the glittering eyes it hid. 

"Nothin'." _So he speaks English_, Sonny thought, a bit disappointed that he wouldn't be able to conduct Port Charles business in Spanish for once. He recognized the voice of the person in front of him as Kid.

Sonny decided to try a friendly approach. He flashed a dimpled smile and said, "It didn't sound like "nothin'"." Pretending to look around, he asked, "Where'd your friends go?" 

Kid shrugged. "Reckon they went on 'ome." 

From the darkness, the figures of Johnny and Max emerged.

"Wondered when y'all would come out," Kid said without even looking at the newly arrived bodyguards. 

Confident in the odds, Sonny walked toward the cowboy. "Now, I asked you a question," he stated as Johnny and Max moved in from the sides.

"I gave you my answer," the kid retorted, eyes glaring at him from under that hat. The kid had spunk had to give him that.

"Why can't you just answer the question?" Sonny asked, with a fleeting, insincere smile. 

"Why do you care?" Kid retorted. /P> 

"I'm Sonny Corinthos," he announced, placing full authority and weight behind his name. He waited from some sign of recognition: the fear it usually instilled within people of his business, the distaste it brought to those of more refined tastes, and the hatred it instilled in his enemies. He got none of these. Instead, he got curiosity. Curiosity. Followed quickly by a speculative look. In that moment, he felt like a bug under a microscope and knew he needed to regain his footing in this situation. Overcoming his discomfort, he stated, "You're on my property."

"Sorry." Kid gave a quick smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, which were constantly shifting between Sonny, Johnny, and Max.

Realizing that he was getting nowhere fast, he knew the situation called for a more direct action. He nodded for Johnny and Max to come closer. Johnny grabbed the kid's arm. Out of nowhere, the kid pulled out a knife and stabbed him. Johnny howled in pain, letting the kid go and grabbing his wound. He gave Sonny a shocked look filled with pain. Guilt and regret filled Sonny, who knew and understood that Johnny had been hurt a lot worse for his sake. Sonny stood there, shocked as the kid swung around toward Max, brandishing what looked to be a now bloody switchblade. He looked at

Johnny, who had blood dripping between his fingers and wondered when exactly he had lost control of this situation.

"Max, check on Johnny." What the hell was he supposed to do now? 

"That wasn't very nice," Sonny pointed out, taking a step forward only to be stopped when the knife was waved at him.

A stunned voice from behind him broke through the tense situation. "Cory?" 


	3. The Stories

Author's note: this part contains conversations that are supposed to be in Spanish, but since I don't speak the language and have too much respect for it to even attempt to butcher it, I wrote it in English. That said, I'm not sure the sentence structure or the words used are used that way in Spanish. . . wait a minute. . .did that make any sense? Let me know if I've totally confused you. 

At the sound of the stunned voice calling my name, I cast a quick glance over Sonny's shoulder, quickly identifying the speaker before returning my wary gaze to the man in front of me. "Zander, go away."

He cast an easy glance between the Sonny and myself, a torn look on his face. "Um. . .I can't do that."

"I've got this covered."

Sonny spoke up, his eyes never leaving the knife in my hand, "Zander, you know him?"

"Yeah." A soft footfall on the concrete ground told me that Zander had taken a step closer. "He. . .uh. . .lives at Jake's. He's been there for about a week now."

"Zander," I said quietly, casting a cold glance in his direction. "What the hell do you think you're doin'?" Panic, fear, confusion, and betrayal all raced through me in one moment. I stared into the eyes of the person I'd thought was my friend, and yet, there he was starting to tell this Sonny Corinthos dude my business. Adrenaline pumped hard and fast through my veins. I turned back and stared once again into those cold brown eyes across from me. This was a man who was used to being answered. This was a man who had power. Judging from the expensive clothing, this was a man who had money. This was a man who definitely was not simply in "the coffee business" as Courtney had said. He was into something else. Something that made a lot of money. AND this was Courtney's brother. _Huh, who would've thought? They look nothing alike._

"I'm doing my job, Cory."

I turned to stare at him. "You're job? What are you talkin' about?"

Zander pointed to Sonny. "_This_ is my boss."

Dumbfounded, I cast a quick look between Sonny and Zander. "Oh." The tension eased from my body. Zander had been trying to get me job at the warehouse for over a week. He'd told me that he'd talk to his boss tomorrow. I never imagined that I'd be seeing him tonight. Let alone pull a knife on the man and cut one of his body guards. I grimaced at the thought. _Not the best way to make a first impression._ I pushed the button and watched the knifeblade disappear into its handle. The tension in Sonny's body eased somewhat, and I started to step away from him. . .slowly.

I looked back at the. . .what were their names again? Oh yeah, Johnny and Max. I didn't know which one was which, but obviously, I'd hurt one of 'em. "He okay?" I asked, nodding towards the injured one. 

Max glared at me. "He'll live."

"You should probably take him to a doctor," I pointed out, nervously turning the knife over and over in my hand. The rhymic movement calmed my nerves. Somehow I knew that the hospital would be rejected. A man like Sonny had to have his own private physician. All men with that kind of money did.

Max's eyes gravitated toward Sonny as if asking for his permission. "Go," his boss replied. No specifics were given, but then I doubted any were needed. "I'll be fine."

Johnny seemed about ready to argue but kept his mouth shut. There was something in that moment that I couldn't quite put my finger on. My eyes narrowed as I tried to figure it out. Unquestioned loyalty. That's what it was. I gave a slight nod, affirming my conclusion. A wave of envy rushed through my body. I hadn't seen it in a long time. _Where had such loyalty gone? It seemed to have disappeared from my life about the time. . .No, no. Not the time to think about that. I must pay attention. This situation I'm in is much too dangerous to be waylaid by such thoughts_. I forced my mind back to the situation at hand.

"Cory, what are you doing here?" I turned toward Zander, almost forgetting that Sonny was even there. I mean, I kept an eye on him. I'm not an idiot. 

I shrugged. "Just hangin' out."

"What's Jax paying you to do?" Sonny demanded. "You supposed to rob the place or maybe just burn it down."

I swung around toward him. "What're you talkin' about? I ain't a thief, and I ain't a pyro." I glared at him. _How dare he make such accusations?! He doesn't know me._

Sonny's eyes were filled with a cold fury I hadn't seen in all my years. It made me shiver. "Tell me what Jax is paying you to do," he ordered in a cold voice, taking a menacing step towards me. 

I stepped back and made a move to pull out my knife again. "Cory, don't," Zander called out.

My hand stopped. "Then tell him to stay the hell away from me. He comes any closer, I'll pull it out again."

Zander turned toward his boss. "Sonny, I doubt Cory even knows who Jax is, right?" he asked in a calm, reasonable voice.

"Right," I confirmed.

"And I'm just supposed to take his word for it?" Sonny asked, sarcasm laced into his every word.

"I ain't a liar." _Well, at least not about this, you're not_, a voice inside me chided.

A slight smile crossed Sonny's face but the coldness in his eyes remained in place. "No, you're just a trespasser and a pawn in a game."

Zander stepped between us, cutting off our glaring contest. "Remember that thing I wanted to talk to you about?" he asked Sonny. 

;Sonny gave a slight nod.

"Well, it was about Cory. I knew he needed a job, and I'd hoped to get him one at the warehouse."

"Like that's gonna happen," Sonny muttered. 

"Now, what a minute. . ." A commotion behind me stopped me from what I had to say. 

"Hey, Boss. Look what I found." I turned to see a big man pushing Pedro in front of him. 

I quickly turned my head toward Sonny and asked in a sarcastic, disbelieving voice, "How many of these thugs have you got?"

I turned back toward where my friend stood in front of this new arrival, glaring at the man behind Pedro and ignoring Sonny all together. "You okay?" I asked quietly in Spanish. 

He nodded, stepping closer to me.

"What are you doin' here?" I whispered harshly.

He gave Sonny and Zander an uneasy look. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

I glared at him. "I tol' you to go home."

He nodded. "I know, but Gaby wouldn't like hearing about you getting into trouble." A slight smile creased his face. "Especially because of us."

"It's because of Gaby and the kids that you should've gone home," I reasoned. "You have kids, Pedro. Responsibilities."

"That's true, but I also have a responsibility to you as my friend, especially after the way you've helped us."

I couldn't believe his stupidity. There were people who would love to know where he was. Did he even think about that? No, of couse not. "I tol' it wasn't nothing. Just leave it be. Besides, you've more than repayed me."

Pedro stared at me in disbelief. "I can never repay you for saving my life."

A new voice interrupted our conversation, shocking me to my very core. "What are you talking about?" it asked in Spanish.

I turned slowly to see that Sonny stood right beside us, a slightly dimpled grin on his face. _Damn, he speaks Spanish_, I thought with regret. He'd heard the whole thing. I sighed and shuffled my feet a bit, unnerved at the newest revelation. Spanish had always been my comfort zone. Many of the people around me hadn't understood Spanish, so, it had quickly become my retreat. Upon my arrival in Port Charles, I'd noticed that Spanish-speakers were a rare commodity, and I'd hoped I'd found a place to hide if I needed to. So far, I'd been lucky, but one day, my luck could run out and Del could find out where I am and what I'm doing. That would be the end of me. . .literally.

Pedro turned to Sonny, the expression on his face childlike in its eagerness. He loved to tell stories. This one was a particular favorite of his. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the crate. The story got bigger and more embellished every time. _What's he gonna add in it this time?_ I wondered, crossing my arms, waiting for the tall tale to begin. 

"The sun was so hot that day I thought my skin would burn. I'd just come over from Mexico. I didn't have any food or water; I was simply glad to be in America. It was my fifth attempt, and I'd finally made it safely, you see. I collapsed from the heat. Death seemed to be a sure thing, so I started to pray to God. 'God,' I said, 'Please let me live. I have a wife and child waiting for me. I want to see them again before I die. Please save me.' All of sudden, a shadow fell over me. I looked up and there he was. . ." He nodded in my direction. ". . .sitting on his horse over me. Like John Wayne in the movies." He flashed me a big grin, his white teeth standing out against his tanned face. "I thought he was an angel, coming to take me to heaven. 'Please, senor,' I begged, 'Let me live.' He said nothing, got down, picked me up, and put me on the horse. He then walked over 10. . ." I cleared my throat at the gross embellishment. ". . .okay 5 miles. . ."

"That's not the way it happened," I interrupted, shaking my head at his distortion of the truth. The whole spiritual addition was out there, even for Pedro. "It was only a mile, and it wasn't even hot. . ."

"Shut up," Pedro scolded, a frown on his face. "You're interrupting my story."

"Well, if you'd tell it the way it happend, I wouldn't need to," I shot back, the familar argument easing the tension that had gripped my body since encountering Sonny and his goons.

"It's _my_ story, so _I'll_ tell it the way _I_ want."

I turned toward him, determined to win this argument for once. "Well, I'm in it, and I want you to tell it the way it happened."

At the sound of chuckles, we turned as one toward Zander, who had a huge smile on his face. Behind us a cough sounded. We turned toward the sound and found Sonny standing there, smiling widely. We turned to look at each other, confused as to what was so funny. We shrugged our shoulders.

Pedro looked between Zander and Sonny, giving them an apologetic smile. "Sorry. My friend doesn't know how to tell a good story."

Snort. "Yeah, well, if you're gonna tell a story about _my_ life to _total_ strangers, there should at least be a grain of truth in it. Otherwise, I'll end up being ten feet tall and bullet proof. As it is, you've got me pegged as an angel. That's pretty out there, even for you." I pointed a finger at him. "That should tell you somethin'. Not only that, I'm now John Wayne as well." I paused at that thought and frowned. "I'm still not sure that's a compliment or not."

"Are you finished? I'd like to finish my story," Pedro asked, lifting an eyebrow at me.

I held up my hands. "Fine, but I get to correct it whenever I want."

Pedro gave a dramatic sigh. "Fine." He turned back toward Sonny, muttering about people ruining good stories.

"Hey, I heard that."

He ignored me and gave Sonny what appeared to be a resigned look. "It seemed like five miles."

Sonny nodded, an understanding look and large dimpled smile on his face. I shook my head, defeated. "You better finish." _Oh, well._ I fiddled with my knife again. I'd heard the story so many times that I almost knew it by heart, except of course for the parts that he kept changing. Those were a constant surprise.

His puppy dog brown eyes returned to their captivated audience. "He took me back to _his_ house. . .not the bunkhouse. . .and helped me get over the sunstroke. After that he gave me a job, helped me to bring my family over, and taught all of us to speak English." He shot me a grateful glance. "I owe him my life."

Uncomfortable from the admiration in his voice, I replied, looking down at the knife in my hand, It's no big deal."

But Pedro wasn't quite done yet. Oh, no. He had to go a step further. "Now, he's doing it again."

I closed my eyes in complete and utter disbelief. What _was_ he thinking? Did he want to get arrested and deported? For a moment, Pedro's bombshell cemented me in place. A peak in Sonny's direction showed that Pedro had confused this powerful man. I would've laughed at that, but in this situation, it wasn't funny. It was dangerous.

"What do you mean?" Sonny asked, intense curiosity burning in his dark eyes. 

I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The repercussions of that question would be devastating. Pedro would tell the whole story, getting himself and his family deported in the process. I couldn't let that happen. Determination to protect my friend spurred me into action. "Pedro, that's enough," I interrupted, hoping to derail this train from the wreak it would surely reek. "I'm sure Senor Corinthos has more important things to do than listen to another one of your stories." _At least I hope he does_, I thought, glancing toward Sonny to make sure he got the hint. 

Of course he didn't.Instead, he smiled and said, "I'm sure I can spare the time."

I swallowed the "argh" that threatened to escape. _Why can't things in my life be easy for once?_ I had to get Pedro to stop this. "It's getting late. Don't you think you should get home to Gaby?" I asked, hoping to use his family obligations against him. Guilt and shame filled me when I did it, but it was the only I could think of to get him to go away. 

Confused brown eyes turned my way. "Senor Cory, this man has asked for another story. I can't turn him down."

"Excuse us," I said, barely glancing Sonny before I grabbed Pedro by the arm and hauled him a safe distance away from the ears of one Spanish-speaking Sonny Corinthos. 

"Have you gone crazy?" I hissed. "Don't you know the kind of trouble you could get into? Do you want your entire family to be deported?"

Pedro gave me a confident smile. "This man Corinthos is not a cop. In fact, I've heard that he's the complete opposite."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" I glanced over at Sonny to make sure he hadn't moved. He hadn't. . .yet. 

My friend leaned forward and whispered, "He's in the mob."

The tension that had eased with Pedro's arrival was now back in full force. "Oh, that's just _great_. Not only were you about to admit to being an illegal alien but you were going to tell a person who has the money, power, and resources to ruin not only your lives but my plans as well." I ran a hand over my face. _Why can't I make him see how disastrous this was?_ "I can't have this thing ruined." I gave him an intense stare. "You _know_ that."

Pedro looked down, obviously upset over the implications of what I was saying. A thoughtful look covered his distressed face. Finally, he looked up and said, "I really don't think he's a threat to you. This story is more of a risk for me and my family than to you. I believe that the risk is mine to take."

"It's _your_ risk?" I asked, disbelief, disappointment, and anger welling up inside me and threatening to explode. "It's Kenny's _life_ you're gambling with. If I don't get what I came here for, he _will_ be dead."

"I understand that, but this man Corinthos may be able to help you."

I stared at him in disbelief. "How can you say that?"

He smiled a whimsical smile and stated in a confident voice, "I have a feeling about it."

I shook my head. "I hope you're right about this. Just remember if everything falls apart after this, it's all your fault." I stepped away from him and walked back toward Sonny's position.


	4. The Risk

Chapter 4: Risks and Rewards

Sonny watched the scene play out. He had crept a little closer to hear what was being said, but all he heard was talk about risk and somebody named Kenny. He was more confused than ever. _What the hell was going on here? _he wondered. He made a mental note to ask Benny to check out this mysterious Cory kid. After listening to the banter of the two friends, he had almost forgotten why they were all here. He had a feeling that he'd better get the handle on what exactly he was dealing with. If Jax had threatened this Kenny guy, then maybe he'd have some leverage to use against Cory to get him to turn. If there's one thing he's learned in this business, it's everyone has his price.

He focused on Pedro, who seemed willing to give him the questions he wanted. He could feel Cory's furious gaze burning a whole in his back. Sonny gave Pedro a reassuring smile as the other man slowly made his way to Sonny's position. Pedro gave a slight smile. "Senor Corinthos, you asked for a story, and I will honor that request." He took a deep breath, casting what seemed to be an apologetic and nervous glance in Cory's direction. 

Sonny looked at Cory. The cowboy had his head down, turning his hat into a shield. Despite his nonchalant posture, tension and worry radiated off of him in waves. Sonny couldn't help but wonder, _What could Pedro possibly say to cause that reaction_? 

Sonny forgot about Cory as soon as Pedro started to speak. "The day after last week's heavy storm, the air was fresh and smelled like the earth had been reborn." He sighed, closing his eyes as if he were reliving the sensation. "I walked passed the pier and who did I happen to see but Cory there. 'That can't be', I thought to myself. 'Cory's back at the ranch. Back in Texas.'" A sharp intake of breath drew Sonny's gaze toward Cory, who was once again fiddling with that knife of his. Pedro continued as if he hadn't heard, "So I started to pass by until I started to wonder, 'What if that is Cory?' I decided to investigate. Low and behold, it was my old friend." He smiled, reliving the moment. This story's serious undertone spoke volumes to Sonny. It implied that this is one story that Pedro thought was important enought to get the facts just right. Impatience ate at Sonny. He'd never been good at long, drawn explanations. He wanted the point, now. "After talking with him, I asked him to help me once again. My cousins had just arrived from Mexico, and the English of the rest of my family hasn't been enough to pass the necessary tests." Sonny began to understand the risks Cory had talked about. This man and his entire family were illegal aliens, fugitives from the INS and probably other government agencies! "Cory agreed to teach us English as well as help us find jobs, and that, Senor Corinthos is what you interrupted tonight. An English lesson."

"Why don't you meet at your house?"

Pedro shrugged. "I have small children who run around a very small house. They demand attention, and the house is too small for all of us."

Sonny nodded, a deep sorrow and envy filled his heart at the very mention of children. By losing his two children, he'd never know what that was like. He was beginning to doubt he would ever know what being a father was. He had Michael, but he still longed for a child of his own. 

Pedro continued, "Your warehouse is the only one with a light. It would be too suspicious to meet in many other public places at this time of night."

It was then Cory stepped forward. "So what are you gonna do now, Senor Corinthos? Turn us all in?" 

That a very good question. _What WAS he going to do with this information? Think, Corinthos, think. What is the best course of action in this situation?_ A plan began to form in his mind. "No, I'm not going to turn you in. I'm going to hire you and your family, Pedro." 

"You're gonna what?" Cory asked in disbelief.

"Hire them. I've got a casino in Puerto Rico they can work at or they can stay here and work at the warehouse. It's up to you."

Pedro had tears in his eyes. "I don't know what to say. This is an answer to our prayers."

Sonny smiled. "Just tell me where you want to go."

Pedro cleared his throat. "I have to talk it over with my family, but I'm sure they will agree that staying here would be the best thing for everyone, especially for the children."

Pain emanated once again from the wound that never healed. "I understand." Turning toward Cory, he made the final move in his plan. "I've got a job for you if you want it. You've proven yourself capable of taking care of yourself in difficult situations. I can always use someone like you working for me. "

He waited for a response. An internal struggle seemed to play out on the cowboy's face. Suspicion warred with gratitude, caution warred with need. He understood. After all, they'd only just come out of a situation where the kid had stabbed Johnny and had waved a knife in Sonny's face. Need won out over all the rest. He gave a resigned sigh and said, "Okay, but only in your warehouse."

Sonny gave a fake look of confusion. "What did you think I meant?" Others had been fooled by that particular move, but not this kid. 

He simply shrugged and moved on with business. "When do you want me to start?" 

"Tomorrow morning. I'll introduce you to the foreman."

"Okay. C'mon, Pedro, let's get you home. Gaby's bound to be worried sick." He gave a slight nod, a movement Sonny recognized as a gesture of gratitude. "Senor Corinthos, thanks." He looked behind Sonny and switched to English, "Zander, I'll see you at Jake's later. We've got a game to play."

"Right, see ya," Zander agreed in a very confused voice. 

Pedro nodded. "Thank you so much, Senor Corinthos. I'll let you know our decision tomorrow." They shook hands. 

When Francis moved to intercept the two friends, Sonny shook his head. "Let 'em go."

They stepped passed the bodyguard and left the scene behind. Sonny felt a sense of loss as he watched their figures disappear into the night. He didn't know where it came from, probably from the fact that he'd actually gotten to speak in Spanish, a treat in a land full of English-speakers. Cory's Spanish had been impressive, flawless, causing Sonny to think that he'd been raised with it as a first language, an interesting fact if it was true. 

"I need to learn to speak Spanish," Zander said, bringing Sonny out of his "brooding" as Alexis would call it. "What just happened?" he asked in a perplexed tone. "One minute you're about to go at it and then the next you're all getting along." 

Sonny turned to look at his young protoge. It was hard to explain it to himself let alone to someone else. Besides, Pedro's secret wasn't his to tell, so he told the most pertinent part. "They just got hired." 

A pleased smile crossed Zander's face. "That's great! It'll work out for everyone."

Looking back toward where Cory and Pedro had gone, Sonny said, "I hope you're right." 


	5. The Favor

HTML1DocumentEncodingutf-8CH 5: The Favor  
  
A few days later, Sonny watched from his office as Cory, Pedro, and Pedro's cousins worked and bantered steadily side-by-side unloading the latest coffee shipment. As Pedro had said, the family had collectively decided to stay here, which in a way he was grateful for. It gave him the opportunity to observe this Cory kid in a somewhat relaxed state. The kid was way too wired for his own good. After the confrontation they'd had two days ago, curiosity mingled with suspicion ate at Sonny. He couldn't shake the feeling that Cory had some kind of ulterior motive for being in Port Charles, but he wasn't entirely sure anymore if that motive had anything to do with him. He rubbed his chin. He couldn't remember the last time a person had puzzled him so much, and with A.J. going after Courtney, he didn't have time for puzzles.   
  
The day after the confrontation, Cory had shown up as promised. Sonny had introduced him to the foreman, and after that, he hadn't seen the kid. It was like they didn't even know one another. Cory pretty much ignored him, something that just didn't fit with a spy for Jax. At least with a spy, he knew where he stood. With Cory, he was hopelessly lost. A sigh escaped his lips.   
  
A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," he called, turning away from his perch.   
  
The door opened and in walked Zander. "Hey, Sonny. You wanted to see me?"  
  
Sonny nodded. "Yeah. Any news from Jax?"  
  
"After what happened at the party, he pretty much said the deal was off." Zander gave him an apologetic look.  
  
"That's okay. It was worth a try," Sonny said with a hint of distraction. A laugh pierced through the air, beckoning him, almost daring him to look. He couldn't resist its call and looked out the window to see Cory laughing at something Pedro said. It was probably one of his stories. Sonny shook his head. What a difference! He still couldn't reconcile the person he saw, the laughing and smiling Cory, with the glaring, knife-waving Cory of a couple days ago.   
  
A voice calling his name pulled him from his thoughts.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You okay?" He turned to meet Zander's concerned gaze. "I'm fine."  
  
The kid shifted his feet. "Was that all you wanted? An update on Jax?"  
  
"Actually, no." He moved away from the window and went to sit down at his desk. I wanted to ask you what you think of Cory."  
  
"Cory?" Zander swallowed hard. "I thought that was all settled."  
  
Sonny crossed his hands in front of him. "Well, if Jax isn't going to get to me through you, he could've hired someone."  
  
Zander gave him a dumbfounded look. "You think he hired Cory?"   
  
Sonny shrugged before leaning back in his chair. "It's a possiblity."  
  
"No, no way. Cory would never. . ."  
  
Sonny raised an eyebrow at him, an effective means of cutting him off. He stood up and walked over to a table to get himself some water. "Do you know that for certain?" He asked, giving Zander a hard look.  
  
He saw Zander swallow hard. "No, I guess not."  
  
"So tell me what you know."  
  
Zander ran a hand through his hair. "Well, um. . .we met the night of the big storm. His arrival at Jake's was quite a scene. He walked in rain dripping from his hat and a duster on. Man, I couldn't believe it. It was like. . .like. . .seeing John Wayne or someone enter the bar."  
  
Remember Pedro's John Wayne comparison a few nights before, Sonny swallowed the chuckle that threatened to emerge. He wasn't entirely sure Cory would appreciate the constant comparison between himself and the Duke.   
  
"There wasn't anything for us to do, so we played some pool. Whatever you do, don't play him for money." Zander shook his head, taking a swig of the water bottle he'd just picked up. "That night he hussled me out of $75!"   
  
"Thanks for the heads up. What about his past?" Sonny took a sip of water.  
  
"He doesn't like to talk about it. All I know is that he loves horses, will talk about them for hours. Half the time I have no idea what he's talking about. He needed a job and with the guy quitting last week, I thought you could use him." He paused for a moment. "There's something about him, though, that makes you respect him." He shook his head and gave Sonny a thoughtful glance. "He's a good guy, Sonny."  
  
Sonny nodded. "Thanks. That's what I wanted to know."   
  
After Zander left, Sonny plopped down in his chair, lost in thought. Respect. He'd heard that word associated with Cory before, from his foreman. After only three days, Cory had really impressed him, and when Sonny had asked the man's opinion, he'd extolled Cory's virtues: hard work ethic, does what he's told, helps out others, people listen to him, and on and on. Sonny rubbed his forehead, trying to ease the pounding that had started. He needed answers and fast. He made a decision and made a move to pick up the phone. At that sound of Cory and Pedro bantering back and forth as they walked passed his door, his hand wavered for a moment. _Stop it, Corithos. You've got other things to deal with_, he scolded himself as he picked up the phone and dialed a well-known number. "Benny, I need you to find out everything you can on a Cory. . ." _what was his last name?_ He looked through his employee files and opened Cory's. _Ah, here it is._ ". . .Kelly from Texas."  
  
"Cory Kelly from Texas. Right. I'm on it, Boss."  
  
"Good." Sonny hung up and paused a moment, wavering for a moment in the order he was about to give. He knew it wouldn't go over well and would force him to take sides, but it was something that had to be done, or so he told himself. Resolute, he picked up the phone and dialed the number.  
  
In a voice that brooked no argument and clearly implied that this was an order _not_ a suggestion, he said, "Zander, I need to a favor. . ."   



	6. The Introduction

CH. 6 The Introduction

I rolled my head from side to side in an effort to ease the pain and tension held in my shoulders and the back of my neck. My shoulders slumped under the weight of exhaustion and my head felt as though it would sink at any moment. My feet stumbled a little bit, showing the bone-deep weariness I was experiencing. The sleepless nights filled with worry and studious research had finally caught up with me. _If I'm gonna get anywhere without fallin' down, I'm gonna need a large, tasty dose of coffee. I work for a coffee warehouse, and I can't even get a decent cup of coffee in the place,_ I thought, laughing at the irony. Just thinking about the burnt, undrinkable coffee someone constantly made at the warehouse made me wince. 

I looked around, attempting to find some place to meet my immediate need. Spotting the OPEN sign of Kelly's, I sighed with relief. My pace picked up speed, bringing me closer and closer to my beloved caffeine. _When you start calling coffee or caffeine "beloved", you know there's something seriously wrong with you_, I thought, amused, finally reaching Kelly's and pushing the door open. 

The place felt like many of the mom and pop shops I'd seen in my life. It had a country feeling to it, and in a city like this or in this state for that matter, such a feeling was indeed a rare experience. The welcoming atmosphere instantly made me relax. I took off my hat, strolled up to the counter, and ordered the largest cup of coffee they had to go. The waitress smiled and said, "Coming right up."

I nodded and eased myself into the nearest chair, placing my hat on the counter top. I felt tempted to put my head in my arms but knew such a move would mean falling asleep in my chair, which of course brought all sort of embarrassing scenarios to mind. Going to sleep and sliding off the chair ranked right up there with nodding off and drooling in public as themost embarrassing. With such motivation, I resolutely remained upright. Finally, the coffee arrived, bringing its delightful odor and high dosage of caffeine with it. I took a sip and nodded in approval at the bitter taste. Good and strong. Just the way I like it. 

After a few minutes, I finally began to feel rejuvenated. The weariness that had plagued me began to dissipate, and I came to believe that I could finally make it all the way to Jake's. 

I swung around in my chair, intending to put this new found energy to good use, but instead found myself staring into the startled blue eyes of Courtney. "You!" she blurted out.

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. "Howdy, Courtney," I said with a tired smile. 

"Where'd you go?" she demand, sitting in the chair next to me. _How could she have so much energy?_ I wondered, absently. _It just isn't fair._

The rumbling in my stomach alerted me to the fact that I hadn't eaten in quite some time. _Might as well eat now_, I thought, asking the waitress, "Can I get a cup of chili? And. . ." I turned to Courtney, "You hungry?"

Startled, she nodded. "Um. . .yeah." 

"Order whatever you want. It's on me."

She started to protest but I cut her off. "Courtney, I don't have the energy to argue about this. Please just order."

Her mouth opened and closed, making her look like a fish. _Oh, boy_, I thought, grimacing at the comparison, _I really need to get some sleep._ She gave me an evaluative look. "Fine. I'll have a cheeseburger."

"A chili and a cheeseburger," the waitress repeated. "Anything to drink?"

"A Coke."

"For here or to go?"

Seeing the determined look on Courtney's face, I sighed and said, "For here."

The waitress nodded, giving me a sympathetic smile. "Coming right up."

"You evaded my question again," Courtney said with a frown. After a moment, the frown changed to smile when she said, "At least, this time you fed me." I gave a slight smile in return, remembering a similar interaction the night we met. The Coke arrived and she took a sip. "You look exhausted."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I feel it."

"So what've you been up to?"

I stared into my coffee before taking a sip. "Workin'."

"Oh, yeah? Where?"

"At Sonny's warehouse," I mumbled.

She choked on her drink. "I think I just heard you say you work for Sonny."

I nodded in response, taking a large swallow of coffee. Hearing myself disclose such specific information stunned me beyond words and put a sinking feeling in my stomach. _What's wrong with me? _I wondered, my fist clamping tightly around my hot coffee cup, the heat finally penetrating my brain. I slowly released the cup as thoughts race through my head. _I should've simply said, "A warehouse." Why did I have to say "Sonny's warehouse?" _I ran a hand through my hair. _Especially to her. I know what a sore spot her brother is. Why did I have to go and say it? _I sighed, waiting for the scene to start. _I really need to get to bed._ I could feel the storm brewing next to me.

"You lied to me!" she yelled.

Yup, definitely need the caffeine, I thought, taking another large sip and nodding my head at the waitress when she asked if I wanted a refill. To Courtney, I held up a hand, determined to stop the rest of the verbal onslaught I knew was coming. "I didn't lie to you."

"You told me you didn't know my brother," she accused, firing spitting from her eyes. "I should've known you were lying, especially when you defended him to me."

"There are two sides to every story," I said with a sigh, "If you'd just listen to me. . ."

Obviously she wasn't interested in what I had to say, for she started to a ranting session, "You pull a knife on me. . ."

"Why don't you say it a little bit louder? I don't think the cops heard you," I said, sarcastically, my heart pounding at her rather loud announcement. It felt as though she'd shouted it for everyone to hear. _See, this is why you shouldn't have told her_, the panicked voice in my head told me.. _You could get arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon. It would serve you right for your stupidity_. I shot a wary glance around the restaurant. Fortunately, our conversation hadn't traveled back towards the rest of the patrons. Relief fluttered in my heart, and I let out the breath I didn't even know I had been holding. 

She too looked around the place, leaned forward, and continued her rant in a lowered voice, ". . .defend him, and _then_ I find out you're working for him. How could I have been so stupid as to think I could trust _you_?" She gave me look filled with contempt. In that look, I also pain, sorrow, uncertainty, and betrayal. I hated that such a look could be a result of something I'd done, but it wasn't like she wanted to listen to my side. It seemed as thought she was determined to think the worst of me without even letting me defend myself. I wondered if that was a common thing or if that was just for me. I decided to try one more time. If that failed, I was giving up and heading home. "I _didn't_ know him when we met. I met him later." 

Disbelief crossed her face. "You expect me to believe _that_?" she asked in a skeptical voice.

I gave weary sigh. "I can give you a list of several people that can confirm it." Then, I shrugged, deciding that perhaps now would be the best time to leave. "Believe it. Don't believe it. It's up to you." 

The food arrived, and I thought for sure she'd take hers and leave right then and there. Instead, she simply took a bite of a fry, smiled, and said, "I might just take you up on that list." 

Confused, I made no reply. My brain was too tired to try to figure out what was going on. Such a reaction didn't seem to fit with what I knew of her personality, but then I'd only met her once and that was for a very short period of time. In actuality, I really didn't know anything about her. Maybe she was trying to bait me. I don't know. Instead, I simply concentrated on my food. The chili was good and spicy. Just the way I like it. 

"You never did answer my question," she said, after taking a bite of her burger. 

I took a sip of coffee and ate some of my chili, determined to maintain the energy coursing through my body. "Can you repeat the question?" I remembered but was trying to think of a way to get out of answering it. After all, with my track record tonight, I might just spill everything about the meeting with Pedro and Sonny, getting myself into deeper problems with her _and_ arrested in the process. That outcome was something I'd like to avoid. Thank you very much.

"Where did you go?" 

"When?" I asked, deliberately acting like I hadn't a clue as to what she was talking about. It was kind of funny since this was only our second meeting, there weren't a lot of encounters she could be referring to. 

She frowned and I could tell she knew that I was trying to evade the question. "The night we met. I wanted you to meet a friend of mine."

I nodded, eating a mouthful of the spicy chili. "The guy in the shadows," I said, hoping to distract her away from the first part of her question.

I knew it had worked when a startled look came over her face. "Yeah. How did you know?" 

I shrugged, taking a sip of my coffee. "Didn't take much deductive reasoning. He was the only other person there."

I heard the sound of the door opening. She turned to look and her eyes lit up. "Well, now you get the chance to meet him," she said enthusiastically. "A.J.!" she called. "We were just talking about you."

"Courtney," I heard a surprised voice say. It sounded like forced surprised, but it was surprised nonetheless. "I didn't know you were going to be here," it continued.

"I felt the sudden need for a cheeseburger," she said with a smile, a sparkle evident in her eyes. I continued to eat silently, hoping they would ignore me. "A.J., there's someone I want you to meet."

I gave a silent groan. All I wanted was to go home and sleep. I wanted to think of an excuse to get out of this. "I really. . ." I started to say but was cut off by the fact that Courtney had already begun introductions.

"A.J., this is the guy I told you about. You know the cowboy. His name is. . ." She looked at me expectantly.

"Cory," I filled in obligingly. 

She gave me a grateful smile. "Cory, this is A.J. Quartermaine."

__

So, this guy is one of the Quartermain clan, huh? I thought, giving him a speculative look. _That explains the expensive clothes and the superior attitude._ In the time it took me to size him up, I knew I didn't like him. There was just something about this guy that just rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was the way he looked at Courtney with a light and a hidden agenda. Or maybe it was simply the fact that he tried too hard to be charming. In some ways, he reminded me of Del. The comparison left a bitter taste in my mouth. I needed to get some air. 

"Nice to meet you," I said shaking this A.J. guy's hand and placing a fake social smile on my face, a look I'd perfected over the years.

"Cory, it's nice to meet you. Courtney told me all about your encounter the other night." He shot her a big smile. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at the rather obvious attempt to be charming. 

I merely raised an eyebrow at the term "all". "Really?" I asked, shooting Courtney a questioning look. She shook her head slightly, indicating that perhaps there had been parts she left out. I returned my gaze to A.J. " Well, I guess you've got me at a disadvantage. I know nothin' about you."

"Well, I hope we can change that sometime," A.J. offered.

"Sure," I said, giving him a fake smile. _Never in a million years, buddy._

He turned toward Courtney, effectively dismissing me. "I just had an idea. Why don't we got out and catch a movie?"

She gave him an uneasy glance. "I don't think that's such a good idea. If Sonny found out, he'd kill you."

A.J. gave a careless laugh. "He can't touch me as long as we're friends."

__

I wouldn't count on that, I thought, delighted at the prospect. "Courtney, I was gonna ask you if you could drive me to home," I interrupted, "I don't know if I have the energy to walk there." I gave her a tired smile.

She gave me a curious look. "Um. . .sure." She gave A.J. an apologetic smile. "Sorry. Maybe we could do it another night." 

"Yeah, whenever. You know where to get a hold of me," he said in a flippant voice. I could tell, however, that he was quite put out, a feeling confirmed by the glare he shot my way when Courtney turned to finish her burger. I took special pleasure in being able to disrupt his plans. 

Courtney looked at me again. "C'mon, Cory, let's go. You look like you're about to fall down."

I nodded, paid the bill, put on my hat, and followed her out towards the door. "You should be careful of him," I said quietly.

"I suppose Sonny put you up to saying that and probably hired you to get me away from A.J.," she accused, making a move to go back into Kelly's.

I sighed, grabbing her by the arm. "Look, I'm dead tired. I have no idea what you're talkin' about. Sonny didn't put me up to anythin'. All I do is load and unload coffee for the man. Other than that, I've got no dealings with 'im. I said what I said because I meant it."

She sighed, lightly tapping her foot. "Okay, _why_ would I need to be careful of A.J.? _You're_ the one who pulled a knife on me."

"Why do you keep bringin' that up? I already apologized." Frustration burned inside me, and my weary brain didn't seem to have the energy to stop me from letting it out. "What I said about A.J. is _just_ a feeling, okay?" I held up my hands. "You think everything I say has some sort of hidden meaning. That I'm some sort of messenger of Sonny's or somethin'. I'm _NOT_! You don't want to hear my side of the situation. . .fine." The energy I had gathered sudden left me. I resented her for that. All I wanted to do right then and there was to get away from her and her accusations. I ran a hand across my face. "I'm too tired for this right now." I shot her a disgusted look. "You know what? Forget the ride; I'll walk." 

I walked away, fed up with the whole thing. 

"Cory, wait!" she called out, making me stop. My head sunk and I closed my eyes. I took a deep breath. _Why am I doin' this?_ I wondered as I turned to see her running toward me. 

"I'm sorry," she said, breathless, "I didn't mean to harp on you. It's just that everyone has been warning me about A.J."

"Don't you think that should tell you somethin'?" I pointed out.

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I don't know. All I know is I feel as though I can trust him. He was there for me when no one else was."

I nodded. "Fine. I said my piece and you said yours, so let's just leave it at that." 

She looked at me suspiciously. "What no more lectures?"

"It wasn't a lecture," I retorted, "I don't know enough about 'im to lecture." _But I will_, I silently added. "It was a friendly warning." I grinned. "I just didn't know it would turn into such a big deal. Truce?" I held out my hand

"Truce." She shook my hand and then she smiled. "Let's get you home, huh? 

"Yeah." In a friendly silence, we left Kelly's and the subject of a man named A.J. behind. 


End file.
